Iowa School Official to Avoid Prison for Theft

WEST UNION, Iowa (AP)  A judge has declined to give prison time to a former Iowa school district administrator caught stealing tens of thousands of dollars.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that prosecutor Rob Sand asked for prison time Monday for former Starmont School District business manager Vicki Vanter. Sand said prison was appropriate because her long-running theft amounted to "a number of crimes over a number of years."

Judge Richard Stochl instead ordered Vanter on probation for up to five years, citing the 61-year-old's age and remorse. He says he's mindful that she'll be more likely to pay restitution of $150,000 if she isn't jailed.

Vanter was arrested after a June audit alleged she wasted $229,000 paying off personal expenses such as credit card debt and improperly inflating her salary and benefits.